Checker Records
| Checker Records | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 1952 |
| Founder | Leonard Chess Phil Chess |
| Defunct | 1971 |
| Genre | Blues Rhythm and blues Doo-wop Gospel Rock and roll Soul |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Location | Chicago,Illinois |
Checker Recordsis a defunctrecord labelthat was started in 1952 as asubsidiaryofChess RecordsinChicago,Illinois.The label was founded by the Chess brothers,LeonardandPhil,who ran the label until they sold it toGeneral Recorded Tape(GRT) in 1969, shortly before Leonard's death.
The label released recordings by mostlyAfrican Americanartists and groups. Checker's releases cover a wide range ofgenresincludingblues(Little Walter,Sonny Boy Williamson II),rhythm and blues(Sax Mallard,Jimmy McCracklin),doo-wop(The Flamingos,The Moonglows),gospel(Aretha Franklin,Five Blind Boys of Mississippi),rock and roll(Bo Diddley,Dale Hawkins), andsoul(Gene Chandler).
The label was discontinued in 1971 following GRT's consolidation of the Chess catalogs.[1]As with Cadet and Chess, the label's catalog is now owned byUniversal Music Group[2]and releases from the Checker catalog are released byGeffen Recordsand Chess.
History
[edit]Due to the recent expansion of Chess Records, as well as to achieve greater airplay forsingles,the Chess brothers opened up a subsidiary label named Checker. The first45/78 rpmsingle released by the label was "Slow Caboose" b/w "Darling, Let's Give Love a Chance" by Sax Mallard and his Orchestra, which was released as Checker 750 in April 1952.[3]
The label's most popular artist, in the label's early years, wasLittle Walter,who had ten songs released by Checker that made the Top Ten ofBillboardmagazine'sTop Rhythm & Blues Recordscharts.[4]Among those ten was "Juke"which topped the charts[5]and was inducted into theGrammy Hall of Famein 2008.[6]
Checker released several singles by well-established blues artists such asElmore James,[4]Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup(credited as Perry Lee Crudup), andMemphis Minnie,none of which sold well.[3][7]One well-established blues artist that did manage to make a hit on Checker wasSonny Boy Williamson II,who charted with "Don't Start Me Talkin'"(number 3) in 1955," Keep It to Yourself "(number 14) in 1956, and"Help Me"(number 24) in 1963.[5]
On March 2, 1955, the Chess brothers recorded their firstrock and rollartist,Bo Diddley.From this session came Bo'sself-titled debutsingle on Checker,[7]which topped the R&B charts[5]and was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 1998. Another one of Bo Diddley's Checker singles, "Who Do You Love?",was inducted in 2010.[6]In 1957, Checker cracked into therockabillymarket withDale Hawkins,who had acrossoverhit with "Susie Q",although he could not repeat the single's success.
In 1958, Checker released its first 12 "33⅓ rpmLP record,The Best of Little Walter,which was released as Checker LP-1428.[8]
Discography
[edit]The original Checker LP series started with six albums released as part of the Chess 1425 album series before switching to the 2970 series in 1959 and continued until 1970.[9][10]
| Catalog No. | Album | Artist | Details |
|---|---|---|---|
| LP-1428 | The Best of Little Walter | Little Walter | |
| LP-1429 | Oh! Suzy-Q | Dale Hawkins | |
| LP-1431 | Bo Diddley | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-1433 | The Flamingos | The Flamingos | |
| LP-1436 | Go Bo Diddley | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-1437 | Down and Out Blues | Sonny Boy Williamson | |
| LP-2971 | Keeping Tab | Tab Smith | |
| LP-2973 | Love Those Goodies | Various Artists | |
| LP-2974 | Have Guitar Will Travel | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-2975 | Hits That Jumped | Various Artists | |
| LP-2976 | Bo Diddley in the Spotlight | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-2977 | Bo Diddley Is a Gunslinger | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-2978 | Watusi! | The Vibrations | |
| LP-2979 | Sugar Pie DeSanto | Sugar Pie DeSanto | |
| LP-2980 | Bo Diddley Is a Lover | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-2981 | Twist with Steve Alaimo | Steve Alaimo | |
| LP-2982 | Bo Diddley's a Twister | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-2983 | Mashed Potatoes | Steve Alaimo | |
| LP-2984 | Bo Diddley | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-2985 | Bo Diddley & Company | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-2986 | Every Day I Have to Cry | Steve Alaimo | |
| LP-2987 | Surfin' with Bo Diddley | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-2988 | Bo Diddley's Beach Party | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-2989 | Bo Diddley's 16 All Time Greatest Hits | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-2990 | Hi-Heel Sneakers | Tommy Tucker | |
| LP/LPS-2991 | Two Great Guitars | Bo DiddleyandChuck Berry | |
| LP-2992 | Hey Good Lookin' | Bo Diddley | |
| LP-2993 | Hold On! It's Joe Tex | Joe Tex | |
| LP/LPS-2994 | Dance with Daddy "G" | Gene Barge | |
| LP/LPS-2995 | We're Gonna Make It | Little Milton | |
| LP/LPS-2996 | 500% More Man | Bo Diddley | |
| LP/LPS-2997 | The "New" Look | Fontella Bass | |
| LP/LPS-2998 | Sing a Song of Soul | Various Artists | |
| LP/LPS-3000 | Searching for My Love | Bobby Moore & the Rhythm Aces | |
| LP/LPS-3001 | The Originator | Bo Diddley | |
| LP/LPS-3002 | Little Milton Sings Big Blues | Little Milton | |
| LP/LPS-3003 | The Duke of Soul | Gene Chandler | |
| LP-3004 | The Best of Little Walter | Little Walter | reissue of Checker LP-1428 |
| LPS-3005 | The Flamingos | The Flamingos | reissue of Checker LP-1433 |
| LP-3006 | Go Bo Diddley | Bo Diddley | reissue of Checker LP-1436 |
| LP-3007 | Boss Man | Bo Diddley | reissue of Checker LP-1431 |
| LP/LPS-3008 | Super Blues | Bo Diddley,Muddy Waters,and Little Walter | |
| LP/LPS-3010 | The Super Super Blues Band | Howlin' Wolf,Muddy Waters and Bo Diddley | |
| LPS-3011 | Grits Ain't Groceries | Little Milton | |
| LPS-3012 | If Walls Could Talk | Little Milton | |
| LPS-3013 | The Black Gladiator | Bo Diddley | |
| LPS-3014 | In the Beginning... | Various Artists | |
| LPS-3015 | Hot Wheels | Stan Farlow | |
| LPS-3016 | Born to Love Me | Jimmy Reeves Jr. | |
| CK-3017 | The Prayer | Ray Scott |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^David Edwards; Mike Callahan; Randy Watts."GRT Consolidated Chess/Cadet Album Discography (1971-1975)".Both Sides Now Publications.RetrievedMarch 14,2011.
- ^Gillett, Charlie(1996).The Sound of the City: The Rise of Rock and Roll(2nd ed.).New York City,New York:Da Capo Press. p. 79.ISBN0-306-80683-5.
- ^abGeorge R. White; Robert L. Campbell; Tom Kelly."The Chess Label Part I (1950–1952)".Robert Campbell.Clemson, South Carolina:Clemson University.RetrievedMarch 14,2011.
- ^abGiles Oakley (1997).The Devil's Music.Da Capo Press.p.223/5.ISBN978-0-306-80743-5.
- ^abcWhiburn, Joel(1988).Top R&B Singles 1942–1988.Record Research.ISBN0-89820-068-7.
- ^ab"Grammy Hall of Fame".Grammy Awards.United States:National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences.Archived fromthe originalon January 22, 2011.RetrievedMarch 14,2011.
- ^abGeorge R. White; Robert L. Campbell; Tom Kelly."The Chess Label Part II (1953–1955)".Robert Campbell.Clemson, South Carolina:Clemson University.RetrievedMarch 14,2011.
- ^Past Hall of Fame InducteesArchived2012-07-17 at theWayback Machine.Blues Foundation.Go under1991 Hall of Fame Inducteesand click onThe Best of Little Walter--Little Walter (Checker, 1958)to view the album review.
- ^Both Sides Now: Chess Album Discography, Part 1: LP-1425 to LPS-1553 and CHV-400 Vintage Seriesaccessed August 27, 2019.
- ^Both Sides Now: Checker Album Discography (1957–1971)accessed August 27, 2019.
External links
[edit]
Media related toChecker Recordsat Wikimedia Commons
- Checker Recordson the Internet Archive'sGreat 78 Project
